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There’s a point in almost every romance when it’s time to either
move forward or break up. The same is true for the brand-customer
relationship. At some point, your best customers want recognition
for their loyalty or
they’ll quickly go from loving your brand to dumping it.

That’s why companies must focus on identifying and activating
potential advocates -- their most loyal, engaged customers
-- during the “dating period.” Reaching out to advocates while
they are positive and excited will help ensure that they go from
“just dating” your brand to “marrying” it for life.

Most chief marketing officers are focused on finding influencers
-- people in the limelight with large followings. While
influencers serve a purpose, marketers’ time could be more
powerfully spent in finding advocates.

Advocates may not have social influence, but they are passionate
about a brand and personally invested in it. Connecting with
these folks will have a longer-lasting effect than trying to
approach an influencer who’s probably bombarded by other pitches.
Advocates are often regular shoppers, willing to spend
significantly on products they love. And their advice and
endorsements can be exposed far and wide through various digital
strategies.

Here are four strategies every brand can use to turn fans into
life-long partners.

1. Play detective. Finding advocates takes
patience and good old-fashioned detective work. They may or may
not be highly active or influential on social channels. But they
are out there purchasing products in stores and online and
recommending them to friends.

Finding advocates requires sifting through social data; advocates
may have small followings but often post positive comments about
brands on Facebook, Twitter and Pinterest. Marketers can mine the
purchase, customer and customer-relationship
management (CRM) data to find those who frequently buy their
products.

Businesses can even go the extra mile to find customers who love
competitive brands -- and aim to lure them away.

A Porsche dealership in Beachwood, Ohio, has
rewarded local enthusiasts by letting its venue be used for
private events by community organizations and residents -- at
no cost. The goodwill not only generated positive
word-of-mouth and brand awareness, but a few cars have been
sold as a result.

2.Reach out proactively. If
certain customers are big spenders or frequent social posters,
extend in thanks a VIP deal (a special discount or insider access
to the latest product). Showing just a little special
attention to brand advocates can pay dividends later on. Also,
ask for honest feedback: which products they love or loathe and
why. Find out which attributes they appreciate and how to improve
products or services.

3. Embrace naysayers. Sometimes, the biggest
fans may be the first to complain. After all, they care enough to
wish the brand were better. A disinterested customer simply would
not bother to voice concerns. Find early detractors, and quickly
reach out to resolve their issues or let them know that their
strategic concerns were heard. Apologize, try to make things
right and be sure to ask for feedback about how to improve
products to avoid such issues in the future. By handling
complaints with aplomb, a company can transform complainers into
advocates.

Discover maintains high expectations for the customer service it
provides card members. The company's social service team takes
pride in resolving customer issues swiftly and tries to ensure
the interaction is a positive experience. By listening to
existing customers (regardless of whether the feedback is good or
bad), Discover creates valuable interactions with its brand.

4. Keep it interesting. As is true for any
relationship, as soon as one party becomes bored, the other will
likely become distant and unengaged. To get brand advocates
excited, companies must always deliver fresh, relevant content.
Share content about the inner workings of your company or
highlight the individuals behind a brand. Be bold and unexpected.
People love a good surprise, whether it’s an unanticipated
discount or content that’s more humorous or informative than
usual.

Recently Seattle-based insurance company Pemco created a fun and bold campaign related to the
Seahawks’ trip to the Super Bowl. Pemco collected signatures
of more than 15,000 fans on a giant banner, by inviting people
to sign it at sites across Seattle or virtually by using the
hashtag #12banner. Pemco flew the banner over MetLife Stadium,
enabling people to feel part of the Super Bowl and in the
process perhaps creating fans for its brand, too.

Marketers spend millions trying to convince new customers to try
their brands, while sometimes ignoring loyal customers. A robust
advocate program recognizes those who are passionate about a
brand and can turn them into life partners.